“You see anyone?” Gallus asked, pulling a clothespin from under his wing.
“Nah, you’re all good.” Said Smolder peering around the left castle wall.
“Griffon all good!” Yona said, peering around the right.
The six students had snuck out of their dorm rooms and over to Twilight’s Crystal Castle for a bit of teenage tomfoolery.
“Guys, I REALLY don’t think we should be doing this!” Sandbar said, nervously. “I mean, what if we’re caught! It’s already dark out, there’s no way we’ll have a valid excuse!”
“Don’t be such a worrywart Sandy.” Said Gallus, placing the clothespin inside the door’s lock. “Now hush, I need to focus.”
“Surely I can’t be the only one against this! Ocellus? Silverstream?” Sandbar said frantically.
“Eh, while I’m not sure this is the best way to go about it, I’m just DYING to see the inside.” Ocellus said.
“Yeah! Plus, it’s fun to break the rules sometimes!” Silverstream said. grinning.
“But if we’re caught then-”
“Oh for- we’re not gonna get caught!” Smolder said, rolling her eyes. It was then a click was heard and the lock fell to the ground with a clatter.
“Got it.” Gallus exclaimed, tossing the bent makeshift lockpick into the bushes.
“Where Griffon learn to do that?” Yona said, amazed. Gallus shrugged.
“Eh, on the streets, you learn a few less-than-honest things from a few less-than-honest people. Now come on.” ”Yeah, we’ll unpack Gallus’s traumatic childhood later, we’ve got a palace to see!” Smolder said. ”Yeah- hey!” Gallus said, elbowing Smolder in the side.
“Thisiscrazythisiscrazythisis- ACK!” Sandbar was yanked inside by Yona, and Silverstream and Ocellus closed the door as quietly as possible.
“Woah, it’s… uh… big.” Silverstream said, whispering. It was true, it was big. The students had never seen so much crystal before. Not even Smolder, who was licking her scaled lips instinctually. The six began to walk down the crystal hallway, before they froze. Whistling.
“Oh, shit!” Gallus hissed, “what the hell do we do!?”
“Uh… uh… into the library!” Yona said, gesturing towards the crystal doorway with several bookshelves full of books. The six quickly dove into the library. Smolder poked her head ever so slightly out of the doorway to see Spike, dancing down the hallway, a bag of gems in hand and wrapped in a bath towel.
“That was a hell of a close call.” Smolder whispered, watching the young dragon boogie down the hall and around the corner. Smolder turned back to her friends and rolled her eyes. “Ugh, what a boring hiding spot.” She groaned, looking around at the shelves of books.
“I don’t know Smolder,” said Ocellus flipping through one of Twilight’s notebooks, “I think this place is pretty interesting.”
“Of course you’d find it interesting, Ocellus,” Silverstream said.
“Guys I really think we should leave! Spike’s here, and he’ll definitely report us and- Gallus, where are you going?” Sandbar said, frantically.
“C’mon, it has to be here… ah!” Gallus said, barely acknowledging his friend’s concerns. “Guys, come look at this.”
“Yona swear if it’s more books, Yona gonna smash- Whoa.” Yona stopped in her tracks, right in front of a large, crystal doorway leading into a large, circular room, filled with different artifacts sitting on pedestals. ”What room is this?” Asked Smolder, her eyes as wide as dinner plates.
“This, everycreature, is Twilight’s trophy room. I heard about it when Spike was bragging in the teachers lounge.” Gallus explained, pridefully. “Not bad, eh?” Sandbar shook his head frantically.
“Oh come on Sandy, dontcha wanna see what’s in this crazy room!?” Asked Silverstream, a little too loudly for Sandbar’s liking.
“I- well- I suppose I’d better go… just to make sure you guys don’t accidentally level Ponyville!” Sandbar clarified.
“Atta boy Sandbar!” Smolder said, punching him in the arm. The six quickly entered the room. And began checking out different items.
“Whoa! What’s this cool necklace!” Silverstream said, lifting a gold and red necklace off it’s pedestal with a talon. Sandbar turned to face the hippogriff.
“Oh that’s the-” ”Alicorn Amulet!” Ocellus interrupted, dashing over to it with a grin. “I remember that lecture! Headmare Twilight said Trixie used it to almost take over Equestria! In fact, I’m pretty sure all of this stuff almost killed our teachers.” Ocellus explained, before looking around the room. Gallus and Smolder however were preoccupied with something else.
“What in Tartarus is a comic book doing in here?” Smolder said, picking the comic book up and reading the cover. “’Power Ponies.’ What is that?” Gallus perked up.
“Oh! Power Ponies! It’s about six ponies that-” Gallus, stopped and a blush crept across his face. “I mean, I have no idea.” Smolder rolled her eyes.
“Let’s get the others over here. Hey guys! Check this out!” Smolder shouted over to the others. And presented the comic to her friends. “Y’all know anything about this? Cause, apparently, Gallus knows nothing about Power Ponies.” She said with a smirk. Gallus, grimaced.
“Oh yeah! I’m a big fan!” Sandbar said, taking the book from Smolder and examining it. “Been to conventions and everything. I think Gallus went with me one year-” He was interrupted by Gallus loudly clearing his throat. “I- I mean, I’ve read all the comics! I think I’ve seen this one! ‘Attack of Cyber-corn. Interesting!”
“Is that some kind of weird veggie? Yaks hate corn!” Yona said, cocking her head to the side in a questioning fashion. Sandbar laughed.
“Haha! No, Yona. He’s a Unicorn who turned himself into metal with futuristic technology! He’s a bad dude! Say, what if we read it?” Sandbar said with a smile.
“Alright! I mean- whatever, sure.” Gallus said.
“Could be fun!” Silverstream exclaimed.
“I’m intrigued!” Ocellus agreed.
“Yaks best at reading comics!” Yona happily bounded off after them.
“Less illegal, but might still be fun!” Smolder said, flying behind them. The six students sat in a circle on the library floor, eagerly awaiting what the comic book held. Even Gallus, who was bouncing slightly in his seat, though his face remained straight and bored.
“Alrighty! Page one! It starts with-” Sandbar barely began his sentence before a whirlwind of color came out of the book, picking up and spinning the green colt around, before sucking him directly inside the book!
“HOLY-” Smolder shouted, before she too was caught in the tornado coming out of the book.
“AHHH!” Silverstream shrieked, trying to fly frantically away, before the whirlwind caught her.
“YAKS NOT BEST AT DYING!” Yona bellowed, but was sucked into the pages alongside her other friends.
“SWEET THORAX!” Ocellus yelled, shapeshifting into a bugbear to resist the pull, but was practically yanked out of that form and into the book.
“Well, shit.” Gallus said, and was dragged into the book by his tail. With the six students gone, the castle fell silent.